the roost

Commissioned by UrbanArias
Music by Marc Migó 
Libretto by John de los Santos

Expecting your first baby should be a joyous time. Expecting your first baby while quarantined during a pandemic in your over-bearing mother’s house with a non-working air-conditioner is another story altogether. With hormones at their peak, Kat and her boyfriend, Ricky, face these challenges in this new operatic comedy inspired by one The Decameron’s sexiest tales.

 

Episode 2: prompted by appetite

Tales from a Safe Distance

Streaming In THE IDAGIO Global Concert Hall

 

Cast

Kat: Sharin Apostolou
Ricky: Ryan MacPherson
Jaclyn: Emily Pulley


Creative Team

Music by Marc Migó 
Libretto by John de los Santos
Conductor & Music Director Robert Wood 
Piano: R. Timothy McReynolds
Clarinet: Evan Solomon 
Director: John de los Santos
Editor: Tom Rubeck 
Sound: Gordon Nimmo-Smith

Marc Migó

He/Him

Marc Migó is a graduate of the ESMUC (Superior Music School of Catalonia). In 2017, thanks to a scholarship issued by the Fundación SGAE, Marc moved to New York in order to continue his musical studies at The Juilliard School, where he was awarded the 2018 Orchestral Composition Prize. In 2019 he received The Pablo Casals Festival Award for his Cello Sonata Cerdanyenca, a Morton Gould young composers award by ASCAP and the New Juilliard annual commissioning competition award. He also has been a blueprint fellow at Brooklyn’s National Sawdust and a fellowship at the Minnesota Orchestra Composer’s Institute. Marc Migó has received commissions from leading institutions, ensembles and performers, such as UrbanArias, the Dutch National Opera, the New Juilliard Ensemble, Barcelona Symphonic Band, Festival Pablo Casals in Prades, l’Associació Joan Manén, Fundación Pro Arte Córdoba, duo Isas- Kwiek and cellist Mark Prihodko.

John de los Santos’

He/Him

Director/choreographer and librettist John de los Santos’ productions include the world premiere of Sweet Potato Kicks the Sun at Santa Fe Opera, Le Comte Ory, and Otello for LoftOpera, the world premiere of When Adonis Calls (from his libretto) for Asheville Lyric Opera, La Cage Aux Folles for Skylight Music Theatre, La Fille du Regiment for Arizona Opera, Carousel for Ashlawn Opera, and Green Sneakers for Opera Birmingham. His acclaimed production of Maria de Buenos Aires has been seen at the Lexington Philharmonic, San Diego, Fort Worth Opera, and Arizona Opera. John currently serves as Librettist-in Residence for Opera Lab at The Juilliard School. His collaboration with composer Clint Borzoni won the top prize for Arizona Opera’s commission program, Arizona SPARK for The Copper Queen. His new libretto, The Christmas Spider, will be presented in December of 2020 by The American Opera Project in NYC.

R. Timothy McReynolds

He/Him

Hailed by The Washington Post as a “perceptive accompanist” with a career that embraces art song, opera, chamber music, and cabaret, pianist, Dr. R. Timothy McReynolds is also active as a teacher and vocal coach. He is currently on the Piano faculty of Towson University. For the past fifteen years he was a member of the Voice/Opera faculty of the University of Maryland. Dr. McReynolds received his B.M. from Indiana University, M.M. from the University of Michigan, and completed his D.M.A. at the University of Maryland. He has performed all over the world, including Mexico, Italy, Germany, and Austria, as well as across the United States. He has worked with acclaimed artists such as Michael Mayes, Isabel Leonard, Emily Pulley, William Warfield, and Corinne Winters. His discography includes several recordings on the Sono Luminus label with the Grammy-nominated Inscape Chamber Orchestra of D.C.

Emily Pulley

She/Her

Acclaimed soprano Emily Pulley’s radiant voice and electrifying acting have won her both national and international recognition. Pulley continues to add some of opera’s greatest roles to her repertoire, with a recent début as the title role of Bizet’s Carmen with Central City Opera, Mrs. De Rocher in Minnesota Opera’s production of Dead Man Walking, as well as Becky in Morning Star with On Site Opera. Last season, she joined both Los Angeles Opera and the Lyric Opera of Chicago for their production of The Light in the Piazza, covering Renee Fleming in the leading role. Next, Ms. Pulley will perform Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd with Opera Omaha. Other recent engagements include her performance as Mere Marie in Dialogues des Carmélites as a part of Eugene Opera’s New Year’s Eve Opera Trio concert and Mrs. P in The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat with UrbanArias.

Ryan MacPherson

He/Him

International artist Ryan MacPherson has performed with the New York City Opera, The Opéra National de Paris - Bastille, Teatro Real - Madrid, Opera Nice - Côte d'Azur, Wiener Konzerthaus, Dublin's National Concert Hall, England's Buxton Festival, as well as with multiple regional companies throughout North America. His discography includes works by Philip Glass, Michael Nyman, Charles Ives, and Charles Wuorinen. He recorded Louis Karchin's Jane Eyre in the fall of 2017 for the Naxos record label. After a distinguished 20-year operatic career, MacPherson pivoted into arts administration, specifically nonprofit development, donor fulfillment, and community experiences. Ryan is currently the Director of Development at The Charlottesville Symphony Society supporting The Charlottesville Symphony at UVA. In addition to his stage experience, he brings with him a wealth of artistic knowledge through his work as an actor, voice teacher, artistic consultant, and entrepreneur.

Evan Ross Solomon

He/Him

A native of Philadelphia, Clarinetist, Evan Ross Solomon is widely-known for his versatility, depth of tone, and technical brilliance on both clarinet and bass clarinet. Recognized for his compelling performances of works of Brahms, Mozart, and Messiaen, Mr. Solomon is equally at home in many works of contemporary music. As principal clarinet of Inscape Chamber Orchestra, Mr. Solomon’s performances have been praised by publications such as The Washington Post, The New York Times, and Gramophon Magazine. Mr. Solomon appears prominently on all four of Inscape Chamber Orchestra’s recordings including the 2014 Grammy nominated “Sprung Rhythm,” and the 2016 recording of “Petrushka,” for 17 solo players. Mr Solomon holds Degrees from Peabody Conservatory of Music and University of Maryland.

Sharin Apostolou

She/Her

Greek-American soprano Sharin Apostolou represents the new generation of classical singing artist, bringing international acclaim to her specialties of Baroque, contemporary opera, and the repertoire of the American Musical Theatre. The Oregonian hailed her singing as “dazzingly exuberant with a lovely, high, clear coloratura.” Past seasons include: Syracuse Opera as Despina in Così fan tutte and a repeat of the same role with Opera Memphis, as well as concerts with Alpine Theatre Project. Recent seasons for Ms. Apostolou include debuts with the Center for Contemporary Opera in the US premiere of Louis Andriessen's Odysseus' Women/Anais Nin, New York City Opera for Resphigi's La campana sommersa, Opera Southwest as Jemmy in Guillaume Tell, and UrbanArias in the title role of Randall Eng’s Florida. Additionally, she has sung Jenny in Threepenny Opera with Syracuse Opera, Nell Gwynn in Carlisle Floyd's Prince of Players with The Little Opera Theatre of New York.

Robert Wood

He/Him

Robert Wood is UrbanArias’ founder. Under his leadership the company has achieved national recognition and has given over 120 performances, including six commissions and ten world premieres. Notable productions have included After Life/Josephine, and Glory Denied (Cipullo), The Last American Hammer and Blue Viola (Hilliard), Paul’s Case (Spears), Why Is Eartha Kitt Trying to Kill Me?: A Love Story (Smith), Independence Eve (Boquiren), As One (Kaminsky), and Three Decembers (Heggie). Maestro Wood made his debut at the San Francisco Opera with Verdi’s La Traviata (starring Rolando Villazon), and has also conducted L’italiana in Algeri and several concerts there. He recently conducted Rigoletto at Austin Opera, Silent Night at the University of British Columbia , As One at Hawaii Opera Theatre and Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Three Decembers at Kentucky Opera, Die Fledermaus at Hawaii Opera Theater, and Roméo et Juliette and Carmen at Opera Colorado.